Flexible conduit fitting

ABSTRACT

1,227,289. Pipe couplings. THOMAS &amp; BETTS CORP. 12 Sept., 1969 [29 Nov., 1968], No. 45187/69. Heading F2G. An end fitting for a flexible conduit 62 comprises a spigot 12 and a nut 50 whereby the end of the conduit is expanded over an external screw thread 28 and an external taper 36 of the spigot and held by an internal taper 60 in the bore of the nut which has an internal thread 55 at one end engaging with an external thread 26 of the spigot. The screw thread 28 of the spigot 12 is a left hand buttress thread and the conduit end may be screwed into engagement with the thread or pushed over the thread. The nut 50 and spigot 12 have flats on their outer surfaces and the spigot has a third screw thread 14 for attachment to an electrical enclosure. A shoulder 38 is provided on the spigot 12 to limit the amount of insertion of the conduit. Flat parallel portions 32, 34 are provided on the spigot 12, on either side of the screw thread 28, which act as moisture seals in conjunction with the conduit end pressed down by the nut 50. The spigot 12 has a recess (18), Fig. 1 (not shown), with a shoulder 16, which carries an 0-ring (20).

United States Patent [72] Inventor Tomas Julio Sotolongo Long Branch, NJ. [21] Appl. No. 779,670 [22] Filed Nov. 29,1968 [45] Patented Dec. 22, 1970 73] Assignee Thomas & Betts Corporation Union, NJ. a corporation of New Jersey [54] FLEXIBLE CONDUIT FITTING 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl. 285/175, 285/247, 285/161 [51] Int. Cl. F16] 33/24, F161 47/00 [50] Field ofSearch 285/247, 161, 248, 245, 334.5, 175, 174, 250 (Cursory), 251, 246

[56] References Cited UNlT ED STATES PATENTS 1,006,671 10/1911 Myer 285/247 2,554,456 5/1951 Coleman et al... 285/161 2,782,059 2/ 1957 Stranberg 285/247 3,104,120 9/1963 Myers 285/161 3,408,099 10/1968 Appleton 285/247 FOREIGN PATENTS 562,716 7/1944 Great Britain 285/248 690,042 4/ 1953 Great Britain 285/245 Primary Examiner-Thomas F. Callaghan AttorneyDavid Teschner ABSTRACT: The disclosure is directed to a fitting for coupling a flexible nonmetallic raceway to an electrical enclosure. The fitting is constructed in two parts; the first being a body portion and the second being a gland. The first end of the body portion has an externally threaded region to permit attachment to the wall of an electrical enclosure and a sealing ring to provide a moisture seal between the fitting and the electrical enclosure. Intermediate the second externally threaded body portion is a region for receipt thereon of the internally threaded portion of the gland for assembly. Extending therefrom is a shoulder and thence a tapered portion and finally an externally threaded third portion extending almost to the end of the body portion. The internal passage of the gland is generally cylindrical terminating in a tapered portion which extends from the cylindrical portion to the portion having the internal thread for assembly with the body portion. The external surface of the gland is tapered to a plurality of faces upon which a wrench, or other tools, may be applied in order to facilitate the assembly of the gland to the body portion. The tapered portion of the body and the gland are complementary so that a raceway placed atop the third internally threaded portion of the body will be forced to the tapered portion and trapped between the tapered portion of the body and the gland when the body and gland are assembled. The third externally tapered portion is provided with a left-handed modified buttress thread, to permit the body to be screwed into the raceway and to form an additional holding coupling between the body portion and the raceway.

"Ill/i751 PATENTED 050221970 3549,17?

lllllI--Illl IN VE N TOR ATTORNEY IOMAS J. SOTOLONGO 1 FLEXIBLE CONDUIT rn'riNo BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention finds utility in the coupling of flexible nonmetallic raceway such as plastic or elastrometric materials to electrical enclosures.

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior art devices for coupling flexible nonmetallic raceway to enclosures consisted generally of three portions; a body portion, a gland, and a ferruleThe gland was applied over the outside jacket of the raceway as was the ferrule and then the raceway was placed upon the body portion which also acted as an anvil for the ferrule. Assembly of the gland to the body portion distorted the ferrule a... well as the raceway, causing seizing of the raceway to the fitting. In such assemblies it was not possible to remove the assembly once it was made and generally required the entire fitting to be severed from the raceway in order to permit the raceway to be used again. In some devices it was possible to disassemble the fitting in that the gland could be removed from the body portion, however, it was not possible to remove the ferrule from the raceway due to the distortion of the ferrule and the raceway as a result of the assembly. In these instances the end of the raceway again would have to be severed from the remaining portion thereof and a new ferrule provided to reassemble the raceway to the fitting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes the difficulties noted above with respect to prior art devices by providing a fitting for coupling flexible nonmetallic raceways to electrical enclosures which can be readily installed and removed and which neither destroys nor distorts the raceway nor in any way affects the operation of the fitting permitting both the fitting and the raceway to be reused. The fitting is formed from two portions; a gland and a body portion. The body portion has at one end an externally threaded portion for placement within the knockout of an electrical box enclosure and which can have applied thereto a nut or other fastening device for fastening the body portion to the electrical enclosure. A flange, having a plurality of wrench flats, is provided to permit the tightening of the fitting to the electrical enclosure wall. Intermediate the threaded portion and the flange there is found a shoulder having therein a recess for the receipt of an O-sealing ring. The shoulder acts both to retain the sealing ring and also to prevent overdistortion of the ring during the sealing operation by providing a limit for the tightening of the fitting to the electrical enclosure. Adjacent the flange, and extending toward the front end of the fitting, that end receiving the raceway thereon, is a further externally threaded portion to receive thereon the internally threaded portion of the gland for assembly of the two portions. Finally, there is found the third externally threaded portion having a modified buttress thread for digging into the internal surface of .the raceway and for establishing a firm contact between the fitting body and the raceway. Extending between the third and second externally threaded portions is a tapered portion terminating in a shoulder. The shoulder acts as a stop for the insertion of the fitting within the raceway and the tapered portion causes the expansion of the end of the raceway to follow its contour. A complementary tapered portion exists in the internal surface of the gland intermediate the cylindrical portion and the internally threaded portion to cause trapping and holding of the expanded end portion of the raceway on assembly. In addition,

.there are provided flat areas prior to the taper and prior to the beginning of the third or buttress thread which contact the internal surface of the raceway in order to provide a moisture seal upon assembly of the gland to the body. The gland is similarly provided with a series of wrench flats and is generally of tapered configuration from the wrench flats to its end adjacent the raceway. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved fitting for coupling a flexible nonmetallic raceway to an electrical enclosure.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved fitting whereby the raceway is held jointly by the action of a modified buttress threaded portion of the body being embedded within the inner surface of the raceway and by the trapping of the end portion of the raceway between tapered portions of the fitting body and gland.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a fitting for coupling a flexible nonmetallic raceway to an electrical enclosure wherein the majority of the holding power is provided between the modified buttress thread, the tapered portions of the body of the fitting and the gland assembled therewith.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved fitting for coupling a flexible nonmetallic raceway to an electrical enclosure wherein there is provided liquid moisture seals between the fitting and raceway and between the fitting and the electrical enclosure.

Other objects and features of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principles of the invention and the best mode which has been contemplated for carrying it out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the Drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the body portion of a connector constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention and is shown partially in section;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the body portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation, partially in section, of the gland employed with the body portion of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation, partially in section, of the assembled body portion of FIGS. 1 and 2 and gland of FIG. 3 and showing a raceway installed therein.

Similar elements will be given similar reference characters in each of the respective figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown the body portion 12 of a fitting constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention. Body portion 12 has at a first end thereof an externally threaded portion 14 for insertion within the knockout of an electrical enclosure (not shown) and which will receive thereon a locknut (not shown) to fasten the body portion 12 to the electrical enclosure. A shoulder 16 provided adjacent the threaded portion 14 has therein a recess 18 into which is positioned a sealing O-ring 20. Shoulder 18 will act as a stop to prevent overtightening and thus overdistortion of the sealing O-ring 20. Overdistortion will prevent the O-ring 20 from being effective as a moisture seal. Adjacent the shoulder 18 is a flange 22 having a plurality of wrench flats 24 thereon. A wrench, or similar tool, can be applied to the wrench flats 24 to tighten the body portion 12 to the wall of an electrical enclosure or be used in conjunction with similar wrench flats on the gland as will be discussed below for assembling body portion 12 to the gland portion. Adjacent the flange 22 is a second externally threaded portion 26 for receipt thereon of the internally threaded portion of the gland for assembling the body portion 12 to the gland as will be described below. Adjacent the second end of the body portion 12 is a third externally threaded portion 28. The threads 28 are a left-handed modified buttress thread terminating short of the end 30 of the body portion 12 to provide a small flat region 32. Region 32 will permit a moisture seal to be created between the internal surface of the raceway and the body portion 12 as the same is assembled to the body portion 12 by use of the gland. A similar flat portion 34 exists at the side of the buttress thread 28 remote from the end 30. Tapered portion 36 extends from the flat portion 34 to a shoulder 38. The shoulder 38 will act as a stop for the insertion of a raceway over the threaded portion 28. Additionally, the tapered portion 36 will cause the end of the raceway to be expanded as it transverses the tapered portion 36. The body portion 12 can be inserted into the raceway by screwing the JTummgnow to I body portion 12 'with the gland 50 as'assembled aboutai ingfa thread thereiniasfit advances or it may be forced into-it y l I assembled. As can be se'en from RIG, 1, a longitudinal passage iq-extends through the entire bodyportion Turning now'to' FIG. 3 there isshown a'gland 50 to 'sernbled with the bodyportion 1210f FIG. 11. The gland 50 has i atafirst end 52 thereof a series of wrench flats-54, on the external" surface, which ican be used inconjunction with the Y j wife'nchflats24of-1the flange 22Yto-assemble the" body portion l-2 "witl t thegIandi'SOJAdjacentthelend' 52, on thei'nside sur face of the gland is an internally threaded portion 55 adjacent 7 thereof for insertion within the knockout of anelectrical enthe end 56, thelongitudinal passage 58fisgenerally'cylindrical I tenninates ina tapered portion 60 intermediate the cylindricalpo'rtion-and the internally threaded portion 54. The outaside surface of the gland S extending from thewvrench'v flats,

54 towards the-end56' is tapered in a "generally conical 1 manner..-"

raceway 62. flheraceway aha: been square cut across its so'that the buttressthread 28engag'e's'the' innersurfaceof the raeeway and the advancing of thebody portion 12 continues. 1

.untilthe raceway.spreads;and advances over tapered portion 36 and .com'esto r'estiagainst'the shoulder 38. The gland 5 0 ,v

which had alreadybeen positioned on the outer jacket of the raceway 62,- willfnowibeslid overto the raceway so that its threadedIportionjfwill =be'madeto' engagethe externally;

threaded portion 260i the body portion 12. As' the gland 50is nofi'tightenedupon'the portion 12 the flared ends of the raceway a a ts-trap e and held between the tapered pa o 51 mdyporfiqh w dt ape d P t on. 01

V "thegland providing a fluid seal as well as providing holding payer for the raceway Cylindrical portion of the gland 50 wi l 1. force compression of the raceway 62 into the externally threaded portion 28 andwill also cause contact between the raceway inner surface and .theflatYportions 32 and 34 adjacent,

F105 there is shown the assembly .of the" end so thatthe cut edge is perpendicular to the sidewalls of the raceway. The body portion 12 is screwedinto the -r aceway;62.

'tion :of said, body portion and "saidcomplementary; tapered ous omissions and substitutions of the form and details of the devicesillustrated-and.in:itsoperationmay be made by those skilled inlthe art, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

'Theiiembodiments of thelinyention .inlwhichuan exclusive I property or privilege is claimedare follows:

I claim:

V 1. A fitting for coupling a electrical enclosure comprising .a body portion having: a longitudinal passage therethrough; a first externally'threaded portionlat one'end closure and for receipt thereoii of a fastening means; a second externally threaded portion intermediate said body portion for receipt thereon of the internally threaded portion of a gland; a flange having a plurality of; faces intermediate said firstand second externally. threaded portions? a third substantially cylindrical portion, adjacent the second end of said body portion; a left-handed buttress thread circumjacent said third substantially; cylindrical portion, for engagement with, I and. for

embedding into, the inner surface of a raceway; a tapered portion extending from said'third externallythreaded portion to said second externallythreaded portion for placing thereon 7 'theexpanded end of said raceway; a glandhaving a plurality of faces at a first end thereof and a longitudinal passage therethrough;as internal thread in saidpassageadjacent the end of slaidiglan dhaving said facesthereon, a complementary tapered portion ofsaid longitudinalz'passage adjacent said taperedportion of said body portion whensaid gland and said body portion are assembled and a cylindrical portion-adjacent said complementary tapered portionwwherebya raceway placed uponrsaid third externally threadedportion and said tapered portion is"trapped;a id .held betwjeen said tapered porportion of said'longitudinal p'assage'of gland andbetween the bu tt'r'ess thread28 providing good-moisture seals at these portionsLThe holding power of the fitt'ing to the racewayl62- results from thecontactof thebuttre'ss threads 28 with the raceway 62 andthegtrapping;and,holdingiof the raceway. between tapered surfaces-bf body portion 12 and 60 of, gland l-lowever,"major holding power, in the event that the .1

raceway is somewhat oversized, would occur fromthe tapered aportion"36 ofpthe body portion 12 and the complementary tapered portion 6001 the gland 50'. The enure'assembly is now readyfor assembly cwiththe wall of an electrical enclosure hm, shown). The sealing 0-511; '20 (shown in FIG. 1 how maybeinserted intothe recess l8'of the shoulder 16 and the knockout of an electrical enclosuresAfastening device (not shown) will then be threaded upon the threaded portionfl4 andrtightened to holdthe body portion 12 to the wall of the threaded section 14 of the body portion 12 inserted within the electrical'enclosure. Shoulder l6 prevents overtightening, and

- therefore unwanted distortion of the O'-ring 2Q, which would preyentits functioning for proper moisture sealing.

threaded portions 14 and 26 are right-handed whereas thehbuttress thread 'portion is. intentionally made lefti eewayfiZ. During disassembly the turning of the gland50 disassembly of both the gland 30 and the raceway 62.

:while'therehave been shownand described and pointed outg-the fundamental novel features of the inventionas applied to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that vari- Thusatter; the body portion 12 has beenthreaded within the raceway'62, or positioned therein, the application off the gland 50 to the body'portion 12 will turn the body portiQhll2 in such a direction as to increase its capture'of the respect to thebody portion l2will result in the turning of A thebody portion 12asfwell and cause the body portion l2 to. 3 b'e. advanced fromcontact with the raceway 62,,thus assisting limiting the distortion of said sealing ring when said fitting is said cylindrical portion 1 of the gland and jf the thirdexternally threaded portion; said second: externally threaded portion has aright-handlithread whereby thehinstalla tion. of said gland to said body portion causes said third externallyithreaded portion 7 tobe further inserted within said racewaysand the disassembly of said gland from said body portiontends to remove said third 'extemallyjthreaded portion from said raceway.

2. A fitting', as defined inclaim 1, further comprising afirst I nonthreaded portion, extending from saidsecond end of said ,bodyl'portion tothe start ofsaid third externally threaded por,-,

tion, said raceway being 'clamped -against said first nonthreaded portion when said gland is, assembled with said body portion whereby a first r'noistttreseal is provided between said raceway andsaid fitting atjsajd second end.

3. A'fitting, as defined inclaim 2, further comprising a second nonthreaded portion extending'from said third exterl nally threaded portion to said taperedportion, said raceway said gland is assembled with said bodyportio'n whereby a secondmoisture seal is provided between said raceway and said fitting prior to said tapered portion.

4. A fitting, as definedin claim 1, further comprising a shoulder. intermediate said tapered portion and said second externally threaded portion; said shoulder providing a stop to 1 limit the insertion of said body portion into said raceway.

' face ;of said gland is tapered from iasecond end thereof 5. A fitting, as-defined in claim 1, wherein the outside surtowards said faces at said first end thereof.

6. A fitting, as defined in claim; l,further comprising a W recess intermediate" said first externally threaded portion of said body portion and said flange thereon for receipt in said recess of a sealing ring.

7. -A fitting, as defined in 'claim v1, further comprising a shoulder intermediate said first externallyithreaded portion of said body portion and said flange; thereon; a recess in said shoulder for receipt therein of a sealingring; said shoulder assembled to an electrical enclosure.

being clamped against said secondnonthi'eaded portion when 

